Motor vehicle air conditioning circuit and associated management method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current air conditioning circuits in motor vehicles do not adequately support a multitude of operating modes required by manufacturers and users, limiting their effectiveness in various thermal management scenarios.
Innovation Solution
An invertible air conditioning circuit design that includes a main loop and multiple branches with specific heat exchangers and valves, allowing the refrigerant fluid to circulate through different paths to achieve various modes such as cooling, heat pump, dehumidification, defrost, and cold start, by enabling heat exchanges at distinct pressures and controlling the flow through strategically placed junction points and valves.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a classic air conditioning circuit architecture is used, then the system structure is simple, but it does not allow operation according to all the operating modes required by manufacturers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a reversible air conditioning circuit where the same physical components (heat exchangers, expansion devices, valves) serve multiple functions across different operating modes. The circuit can operate as a cooling system, heating system, dehumidifier, or defroster by reconfiguring the refrigerant flow paths using bypass branches and control valves, eliminating the need for separate dedicated systems for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit is divided into multiple bypass branches (first bypass branch with internal condenser, second bypass branch, third bypass branch) that can be independently controlled via shut-off valves. This segmentation allows selective activation of different circuit paths to achieve various operating modes while maintaining a unified overall architecture.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple heat exchangers and bypass branches are added to enable reversible operation, then the circuit can operate in multiple modes, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the internal condenser and internal evaporator functions into a single heat exchanger component that can operate in both condensing and evaporating modes depending on refrigerant flow direction. Similarly, the external heat exchanger serves as both external condenser and external evaporator. This merging reduces the total number of separate components compared to having dedicated heat exchangers for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit incorporates dynamically controllable elements including shut-off valves on bypass branches and expansion devices that can adjust their state based on operating requirements. The refrigerant flow paths are dynamically reconfigured through these controllable components to achieve different operating modes, transforming a static system into a dynamically adaptable one.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables operation in multiple modes, enhancing thermal management capabilities, improving the coefficient of performance, and meeting diverse user and manufacturer requirements by efficiently transferring heat energy between internal and external air flows and heat transfer fluids.
Implementation Method 1
a first heat exchanger, called a condenser, placed in contact with an air flow outside the motor vehicle to release heat, an expansion device and a second heat exchanger, called an evaporator, placed in contact with an air flow inside the motor vehicle to cool it
Implementation Method 2
an external evaporator-condenser intended to be crossed by an external air flow
Implementation Method 3
a first bypass branch comprising an internal condenser intended to be crossed by an internal air flow
Implementation Method 4
a first expansion device, an external evaporator-condenser intended to be crossed by an external air flow
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The present invention relates to a reversible air-conditioning circuit (1) comprising: • a main loop (A) comprising a compressor (3) and a water condenser (5) jointly connected to an auxiliary circuit, a first expansion device (7), an external evaporator-condenser (9), a second expansion device (15), and an evaporator (17), • a first bypass branch (B) comprising an internal condenser (13), the first bypass branch (B) connecting a first junction point (31) arranged downstream from the water condenser (5) to a second junction point (32) arranged upstream from the second expansion device (15), • a second bypass branch (C) connecting a third junction point (33) arranged downstream from the external evaporator-condenser (9) to a fourth junction point (34) arranged downstream from the evaporator (17), and • a third bypass branch (D) connecting a fifth junction point (35) arranged downstream from the third junction point (33) to a sixth junction point (36) arranged downstream from the first junction point (31).